Honoring our veterans – We thank you for your service

Including some of our very own Colorado casino employeesThank you for serving, protecting America

Harry Mudgett

Harry MudgettIT Manager, Canyon Casino
Harry Mudgett entered the U.S. Navy right out of high school. After boot camp in San Diego, he went to language school in Monterey, Calif., to learn Spanish. After another school in San Angelo, Texas, he was stationed at the Naval Security Group Detachment Key West, Fla., as a cryptologic technician. His job was to collect and report on strategic intelligence gathered on targets in Central and South America. From NSGD Key West, he was transferred to Homestead Air Force Base to work in the direct support division for the Naval Security Group Activity. His job there was to collect and report on tactical intelligence gathered in support of the “War on Drugs”. While stationed in Homestead, Harry deployed on several ships including USS Eisenhower, USS Wasp, USS Philippine Sea, USS Peterson, USS John Rodgers, USS Thorn, and USS Woodrow Wilson. Harry served in the US Navy for 10 years.

Since getting out of the Navy, Harry has worked for several companies in their IT departments. Now, after 10 years in the Casino industry, he is the IT manager at Canyon and Grand Plateau casinos. Harry enjoys working in the hospitality industry because he never knows what kind of fires will be waiting for him when he gets to work, much like his time in the Navy.

Mike Kasper

Mike KasperMaintenance Manger,
Canyon Casino
Mike Served in the U.S. Army, 3rd Armored Division. He served time in West Germany. Mike served four years doing recon on the front lines in Europe. Mike has called the Canyon Casino home for more than 20 years and is currently the maintenance manager.

Kevin Joyce

Kevin JoyceDirector of Security,
Golden Mardi Gras
Kevin Joyce served in both the U.S. Marine Corp and the U.S. Army from 1970 – 1990. He went to boot camp at Parris Island served one hitch in the Corps, went into the army then as an E-4, served in the Field Artillery as a gunner and forward observer until 1979, when he attended OCS at Ft. Benning, Ga., in 1979. He had the privilege of Jump School and Ranger School at Benning before being sent to the Military Intelligence Officer’s School at Ft Huachuca, Ariz., where he attended both the Intelligence Basic and Intelligence Advanced Officers’ courses in ’80 and ’82. He served as an operational intelligence officer from ‘83 till his discharge in 1990, working against the Soviets and their allies throughout Eastern Europe, and against national and transnational terrorist organizations throughout the Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Gene Matia

Gene MatiaMarketing Supervisor,
Bullwhackers Casino
Gene Matia served in the United States Army from January 1970 – June 1990. Worldwide assignments to include Vietnam, Germany, Ft Jackson, S.C., Ft Benning, Ga., and Ft Carson, to name a few. He was a military policeman, recruiter, nurse recruiter and San Francisco recruiting battalion trainer. Gene has been at Bullwhackers for 13 years, and is the first and only casino he’s worked. Currently he is marketing supervisor/promotion coordinator/manager on duty and was formally, executive host/player development.

Randy Haviland and Blair Morgan

Randy HavilandDual Rate Dealer/Supervisor, Century Casino
Randy Haviland is a retired sergeant major who served in US Army Special Ops from 1972-1995. Randy has two daughters and two sons and a granddaughter, who is the light of his life. Randy has worked in the casino industry for 17 years and for Century Casino for 2 and a half years.

Blair MorganHR Manager, Century Casino
Blair Morgain was a sergeant for the US Army, Military Police from 1982-1990. Blair has three children, all of whom served in the armed forces. Her son, Spencer Wellman, is stationed at Ft Polk, La., and is slated for his second deployment to Afghanistan in January. Blair started in the casino industry as a security guard. She then moved to table games as a Black Jack Dealer and a Pit Manager and is now the HR Manager at Century Casino.